Thursday, 8 June 2017

GAFCON prepares for the Scottish vote...

On 8 June 2017, the Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) is scheduled to vote to finalise a change to their canons that would attempt to redefine marriage. If this action is taken by the SEC it will further marginalise faithful Anglicans in Scotland who seek to uphold Jesus’ teaching on marriage.

This change comes in the context of a global reformation that is happening in the Anglican Communion. While Anglican provinces such as The Episcopal Church (USA), Anglican Church of Canada, and Scottish Episcopal Church are rejecting the authority of the Bible, faithful Anglicans are uniting through Gafcon to proclaim and defend the unchanging truth in a changing world.

On 8 June 2017 Gafcon will hold a press conference in Edinburgh, Scotland at 5pm.
At this press conference the Missionary Bishop will be announced and introduced. He will be joined by a Gafcon Primate and representatives of those whose fellowship with the SEC will be broken by the Synod decision.

It really annoys me when Gafcon says the church goes against the biblical understanding of relationships. Romans 1 and other passages are misunderstood and must be understood in context. This has been said many times before, Theology is always evolving and not static like Gafcon would suggest. A proper exegesis of the passages of the Bible would show what Jesus teaching about marriage was all about.

Posted by: Paul Johnson on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 1:45pm BST

Can someone remind me of the link to the association of parishes in the SEC likely to be a part of this? St Silas Glasgow, St Thomas Corstorphine, St P's and G's Edinburgh, et al.

Thanks.

Posted by: crs on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 1:54pm BST

Not surprising, but a very sad move by the fundamentalists both in Scotland, and GAFCON.
In those provinces which have moved forward to be an inclusive loving communion, folk of either persuasion can live together in communion, honouring each others differences and view point.

The gospel was brought from the United Kingdom to the countries of the Empire, now that great Commonwealth of Nations. Now we must not be afraid in the United Kingdom to proclaim in deed and action the inclusive love of God, revealed in Jesus Christ in the gospels to the whole Anglican family. We must lead with courage and faith.

Bringing them from the dark ages of division and hate for those folk created by God, being different to themselves, to a holy inclusive love for ALL God's Creation.

The provinces of the United Kingdom must again lead in this matter, not looking over our shoulder at those fundamentalists who live in the past.

London & Manchester a reeling from the effects of religious ideologists who care nothing for the sanctity and uniqueness of human life, and GAFCON is on its homophobic hobby horse again. The reaction of the wider world to their 5pm Edinburgh press conference, and their new 'bishop' will be laughter and contempt - and rightly so. Keep it up, GAFCON, you're doing a great job to further mission of the Church in the British Isles!

Posted by: Michael Mulhern on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 3:23pm BST

Yet another provincial border crossing by conservatives in the Anglican Communion.

I think it's time to ask the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion some blunt questions.

Such as:

Is anyone going to be subject to consequences for this kind of border crossing -- any limitation on their roles within Communion structures?

Or are such consequences only applied to LGBTQ people and the provinces that support them?

And if such consequences only flow one way, then is the Anglican Communion a discriminatory club?

And are you now instruments of discrimination?

Posted by: Jeremy on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 4:56pm BST

St Thomas in Edinburgh and St Silas in Glasgow both have their roots in churches which were not originally part of the SEC, but fell under the jurisdiction of the English bishops of Durham and Carlisle respectively. They have only been parishes within SEC for a relatively short time. Their position in regard to GAFCON-inspired schism is thus not unexpected.

Posted by: cryptogram on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 6:04pm BST

My skin crawls every time I hear GAFCON and their minions say, so piously and innocently, that they are upholding Jesus' teaching on marriage. Their answer to "What would Jesus do?" Is that he would forbid and condemn gay people. But in reality, this was never a question asked or answered in the Gospel and Jesus said nothing about it. The GAFCONers usually impute anything they can find about fornication or unchastity and apply it to gay people, when in reality gay people were never in mind at all. How nice to know what Jesus would say or teach or do, when there is really nothing behind them but their sad homophobia.

Posted by: Adam Armstrong on
Thursday, 8 June 2017 at 8:31pm BST

I don't think they were independent but became so during the tractarian period. They returned when the SEC no longer had opposition to open worship and fellowship with other christian bodies.

Posted by: crs on
Friday, 9 June 2017 at 7:52am BST

Oh dearie me, crs, go away and read up on juring, and non-juring congregations, William and Mary, Jacobite rebellions, and such like. The history is MUCH more complicated than you have any idea of!

Posted by: Rosemary Hannah on
Friday, 9 June 2017 at 2:18pm BST

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?YesNo

Please note that comments are limited to 400 words. Comments that are longer than 400 words will not be approved.

Cookies are used to remember your personal information between visits to the site. This information is stored on your computer and used to refill the text boxes on your next visit. Any cookie is deleted if you select 'No'. By ticking 'Yes' you agree to this use of a cookie by this site. No third-party cookies are used, and cookies are not used for analytical, advertising, or other purposes.